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Luke Rowe has been forced to bring his season to a premature end after breaking a wrist bone at the European Championships in Glasgow.
The Team Sky rider suffered the injury during the road race on August 12 after clipping his hand on a barrier.
But the injury is not as serious as last year’s season ending problem when he shattered his leg jumping onto a rock raising fears his career could be over.
“I got the injury back at the Euros going into the last lap. It was just a racing incident really – it wasn’t anyone’s fault,” said the Cardiff-born rider.
“I clipped my right hand on a barrier on a right-hand bend. I got a small cut on my hand, and at the time it was quite sore, but I just got on with it.
“I did a Roubaix recon on the Tuesday before Deutschland Tour and then throughout that race, and certainly in the last few days, I was in quite a bit of pain.
“I was trying to tape the wrist but every time I hit a pothole or speed bump it was getting painful, so that’s when I thought I better get a scan.
Rowe will be in a plaster for the next six to eight weeks but was only scheduled to compete in two races in Quebec and Montreal on September 7 and 9.
And on the plus side it means he will be back home in South Wales for another very important date.
“Now I’m back home in Cardiff and my wife is three weeks away from her due date for our baby. I’m just going to sit back and enjoy it,” added Rowe, a huge Cardiff Devils fan.
“In a situation like this you’ve just got to take the positives. It’s just a broken wrist as opposed to 12 months ago and wondering whether I’d ever race a bike again.
“All I had left on my race programme was Canada so there’s no chance I’ll be able to race there which is a shame. I’m going to be in a plaster cast for six to eight weeks to give myself the best chance for it to heal.”
Rowe suffered the career threatening injury while on his brother, Matt’s, stag-do in the Czech Republic last summer when he jumped into the water while on a rafting trip.
The 28-year-old spent months in rehab having been warned another crash could end his career but – incredibly – was back racing by February
And in July he helped fellow Cardiff-born rider Geraint Thomas to power into the history books as the first Welshman to win the Tour de France.
Rowe added: “I’ve had a season which on paper I should never have been able to have. To be able to ride the Tour de France was probably the highlight.
“To go there and probably be the best I’ve ever been at the Tour was incredible. Even prior to that, to be at the Classics was special. Although I didn’t pull off a result, to be there and be at a decent level was nice.”
